Kirschner Wire Migration from the Right Sternoclavicular Joint to the Heart: A Case Report

Abstract

Presented here is a rare case in which Kirschner wires migrated from the right sternoclavicular joint to the heart. A 29-year-old man suffering from sternoclavicular instability due to a motorcycle accident received surgical fixation with Kirschner wires. Six months after the surgery, the chest x-ray showed migration of the 3 broken wires to the anterior mediastinum and to the right hemithorax. The patient was asymptomatic and was scheduled for elective surgical extraction of the migrating wires because of the potential danger of injuring the mediastinal organs.During the surgery, the intracardiac location of all wires was discovered,and the wires were successfully extracted from the extracorporeal circulation. This rare and potentially lethal complication is discussed.